


nothing burns like the cold

by littlehazandlou



Category: One Direction
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dominant Louis, How Do I Tag, Louis Tomlinson Calls Harry Styles Pet Names, M/M, Omega Louis, Submissive Harry, This is harder than I thought, bit of mitch and sarah, chistmas time au by accident, harry is kinda sad, harry is the alpha but not the dominant one, harry styles/louis tomlinson - Freeform, harrystyles, idk I really do suck at tagging, larry - Freeform, larrystylinson, louistomlinson - Freeform, niall is in there, sort of enemies to lovers??, there’s sexual assault mentioned, they have cats, zayn and liam are mentioned really briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:08:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26146945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlehazandlou/pseuds/littlehazandlou
Summary: When Harry had taken the job at Brantwood Community Infant school, he had thought he could settle reasonably easily. Everyone had loved him at his training school, the children and parents alike, but sadly - "you know they aren't happy that I'm an alpha." he mumbled and watched as Niall immediately softened, letting out a sigh.Or, the one where Harry has never been a normal alpha, but it's alright because Louis was never a normal omega.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 10
Kudos: 194





	nothing burns like the cold

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first proper one shot. It might be ass and I think it might move too fast, but I tried and I think its kind of cute? Lemme know what you think. Enjoy!!

Harry cradled his beer as he looked around the bar, letting Niall chat animatedly across from him, but not really taking in anything that he says. It's too loud in here. And it stinks. His eyes focus on Niall again when he sees his best friend waving a hand in front of his face with a look of ill disguised irritation.

He sighs, "Sorry, Niall. It's just too loud in here. And it stinks." he watches as Niall frowns and takes a subtle sniff of the air around them.

"I thought it was alright, it's why I suggested here." he says, his shoulders slumping as he grumbles.

Harry offers a small smile "I'm sorry, love, but you know how I get with smells. They're going to be stronger fo-"

"Stronger for you. Yeah, I know." Niall cuts off, frowning, "not my fault I'm a beta though, is it? And I hardly see you at the moment because you're always at work!" 

"Niall, you know I'm sorry. It shouldn't be for much longer, once I settle into the school a bit more." When Harry had taken the job at Brantwood Community Infant school, he had thought he could settle reasonably easily. Everyone had loved him at his training school, the children and parents alike, but sadly - "you know they aren't happy that I'm an alpha." he mumbled and watched as Niall immediately softened, letting out a sigh.

"I know, I know. I just wish we could see each other more. I understand if you want to go, though. It's only getting busier in here, probably smell stronger too." Niall says, glancing up from his pint with a small smile.

"Thanks, Nialler. How about you come round mine at some point next week? I'll make us dinner and we can play Fifa?" Harry asks with a small grin, already gathering his things and pulling his scarf on - eager to get out of the stuffy bar. It was nothing to do with Shaw's - it was quite a lovely bar, aesthetically speaking - but the smell. 

Niall nods and sighs "Yeah, alright mate. I'll text you. Have a good evening." He says and watches as Harry makes his way through the crowd.

The snow crunched under Harry's feet as he made his way back from the bar, watching his breath fan out in front of him. He felt bad for leaving Niall, he really did, but he was so glad to be out of that bar, so very relieved. He took a deep breath, delighting in the way the freezing air almost burned his nose and the back of his throat.

Ever since he had presented as an alpha when he was 16, winter had been his favourite season. He loved the way that the cold air seemed to get rid of scents that would linger, seemed to make him unable to smell the rich scent of alphas and the potent, cloying smell of omegas. Snow and ice seemed to freeze not only the world around him, but allowed his mind to stop its unpleasant and constant reel of thoughts. When it snowed, it's like his mind slowed and everything became somewhat clear again - almost like he was 16 again with no idea of the smells and pheromones surrounding him every day.

He took his time walking. His small apartment wasn't far from the bar, but he wanted to savour it and take his time in the snow, and he knew he had to get up early to finish his lesson plans for the kids, but he just couldn't bring himself to rush when the world around him was so peaceful. Harry pulled his hat down to cover his ears as he begins to feel them burning in the cold, taking a deep breath and grumbling when he can smell lingering traces of the bar. He continues walking but frowns, because. No, that can't be. He doesn't get any scents in the snow. What's that smell, then? He stops and looks around. He isn't far from his flats building, he should ignore it and continue home. Only. Only he finds that he doesn't actually want to. For once, his brain isn't telling him to turn and ignore it, to get away as quickly as possible before his head starts to swim uncomfortably. He takes another deep breath and - yep. There it is again. It's faint, but it's there - a sort of sweet smell - like lavender, almost. Floral. He takes another look around, frowning slightly as he takes in the empty streets around him, no one stupid enough to be out in this sort of weather. 

Shaking his head to himself, Harry starts walking slowly again, looking around him curiously lest he catch another fleeting smell of the scent. It's a nice smell, is all. And Harry can't honestly remember the last time he found a persons smell more that bearable at best, so he's a little more than curious to find who the smell belongs to. He pauses, however, when he hears a voice to his right. Turning, he takes note of an alleyway between two buildings, one of them lit up despite the late hour. His eyes briefly scan the sign on the front '24 hour vet clinic' it read, the words written above a silhouetted image of a cat and a dog. Frowning, Harry's head whips around again as he hears the voice again, unable to work out the words being said. He only briefly hesitates before starting to slowly edge his way down the alley, bins lining the walls on either side. 

"Hello..?" he asks, clearing his throat before calling out softly again "Is anyone there?"

"Shh!" Comes the voice, making Harry frown and open his mouth, about to protest before the voice starts murmuring again "come here, sweet... yeah, that's it." Well, Harry realises as he listens from where he's frozen near the mouth of the alley, the voice is definitely male. And an omega, if the scent is anything to go off of. He watches as a person starts to walk up through the alley, looking down at something clutched in their hands against their chest. They don't even look up as they pass Harry, turning and walking into the clinic. It takes Harry a split second to decide to follow, a bell sounding above his head as he steps inside, the warmth somewhat of a relief - the only smell, being of animals and lavender, even more so. 

Harry watches as the, somewhat short, man steps into the clinic and behind the counter, putting down what Harry now realises is a small and scruffy looking kitten. The man grabs a small towel and wraps the cat in it, Harry watching with wide eyes as the kitten meows in distress. Moments later, a man wearing a white lab coat comes round the corner, only glancing briefly at Harry before turning to the man.

"Lou? who's this?" He asks, and it takes Harry a moment to work out that the man is not in fact talking about him, but the small kitten now being held to the other mans chest - to 'Lou's chest.

"Found her outside, could hear her crying in the alley... Wanna take a look?" Lou asks and slowly hands the small bundle to the vet who smiles and walks back out with her.

Lou's blue eyes flick to Harry then, and oh. Oh. He's pretty. The scruffy kind of cute omega pretty, with caramel hair and two day old scruff. His jumper is too big and his eyes are too blue and oh. Now Harry is overwhelmed. Lou quirks an eyebrow up "Can I help?" he asks somewhat sceptically, obviously making note of Harry's apparent lack of animal.

"Um. No. Well." Yes, because now is a great time to panic, Harry thinks to himself "I just. You smell really nice." He blurts out, his face immediately flushing scarlet as he realises what he said. "Oh my god no. That was so weird, I'm so sorry." he practically gasps, already making for the door "I'm just - I'm just gonna go. Yeah. I'm just gonna go." he mumbles before pushing the door open and rushing out, down the front steps of the vet clinic and back into the cold, the mans angry frown still imprinted on the back of his mind.

\----><\----

"You did what?" Niall asks incredulously the next evening as Harry whines to him. They're in Harry's apartment, Harry laying on the couch with his head squished into a pillow while Niall sits on the armchair by the electric heater, Harry's cat Mika curled up on his lap contently.

"I told him he smelled nice." Harry grumbles again, his voice muffled by the pillow before he lifts it to stare miserably at Niall "I was so rude, Niall. I mean, who does that?" he whines, pouting.

Niall sighs "I mean, at least you weren't a dick about it, right? I'm sure he wasn't even that angry, mate." he says gently, petting Mika as he glares at him for momentarily stopping.

"But he was so pretty, Niall... and he smelt so good! I never like peoples scents... but his. Niall, it was like lavender." Harry says, flopping onto his back as Niall huffs out a laugh.

"Why don't you go and try again, then? Ask him out?"

"Not a chance, Niall. He must think I'm such a creep. Not a chance." he says with a sigh.

\----><\----

The school is one of Harry's favourite places to be. Not only is he mostly the only adult he sees during the day, nearly the entirety of the staff are all betas or omegas. Children dont carry any scent, not until they present, and betas are neutral too. Omegas do have scents, but they at least fill the building with a distinctly sweet smell rather than the rich scent of alphas.

When he's at the school, Harry is almost able to forget that secondary genders even exist. Almost able to forget about all of the smells that always threaten to overwhelm him. The only thing that he doesn't enjoy, however, is the looks that he gets.The other staff, not all of them, mind you, but a fair few, think that he misses the way that their noses turn up as he walks past. Or that he doesn't hear them whisper about him in the break room about how a normal alpha would have a 'proper alpha job', whatever that means. Harry bites his tongue when he hears those same omega teachers complain that they aren't able to get the jobs traditionally held by alphas, yet they discriminate against him, an alpha, having a primarily omega job, teaching. In the past, it was an omegas job to help raise the children. Betas, being neutral, had no trouble ever managing to get jobs in any field, but omegas were always limited. Harry got that, he really did, which is why he hoped that he wouldn't face any problems when starting at Brantwood. If omegas were aware of the prejudice that they themselves faced, why would they frown upon him following his dream? This, unfortunately, wasn't the case. 

Harry walked down the corridor, his head down as he clutched his Starbucks cup and ignored the dirty looks of the staff around him. Stepping into his classroom always felt like a relief - feeling the smells around him fade and be replaced by the smell of paints and crayons, as well as the hint of lavender coming from the new air freshener he had guiltily bought a week ago.

Setting his cup on his desk, Harry glances up as his classroom door opens, his best friend from work, a beta named Sarah. Harry smiles softly.

"Hi, love." she says softly, leaning against the door frame and smiling at him.

"Hey, S. Good weekend?" Harry asks, sitting at his desk. Sarah narrows her eyes, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, it was good. Went to the movies with Mitch." She says. Harry nods. Mitch was nice too, her boyfriend, another beta. He'd been round to theirs for dinner a few times. They were good company - calming for his mind to not have strong smells around him.

"good, good." Harry says, shifting uncomfortably in her gaze "what?"

"You look exhausted, H." Sarah says with a sigh "are you not sleeping again?" 

Harry pouts "I can't help it. Another alpha moved in down the hall. It's all I can smell in my flat." He mumbles, taking a sip of his coffee and trying to warm his hands around the cup.

"H, why don't you just move? Start renting a house?" Sarah asks, moving forward to lean against Harry's desk "You won't br able to smell anyone else then."

"You know I want to save. To buy myself a house one day... a house for a family. If I find an omega, then I want a good place for our pups." Harry says with a determined nod, glancing up as Sarah sighs softly, a fond smile on her face.

"alright, love." she says, dropping a kiss to the top of Harry's head before standing "well, I'll see you at lunch." she says before going to leave.

"Bye, S." Harry says before beginning to unpack his lesson plans for the day and logging into his laptop.

As he waits for his students to start arriving, Harry allows his mind to wonder to the pretty boy at the vet clinic - to Lou.

When he was young, Harry couldn't think of anything better than finding a mate, an alpha, he had assumed, and having pups, settling down. But then he presented as an alpha, which confused everybody. He knew it, and so did they - he was out of place. Harry wasn't a normal alpha - he liked pretty things, and tidying, and cooking. He loved kids. Loved looking after them. He wasn't violent, and, sure, he could be possessive of the people and things around him, but not in an alpha-caveman way - more in a gentle, simmering under the surface way. More in an omega way. He even smelt more like an omega than most alphas. Too sweet - not rich enough, or earthy enough. Alphas had rarely been kind to Harry through his life, telling him he wasn't normal and, well. He knew that. But what was wrong with it? He always used to be most comfortable around omegas, his mother and sister were. Over time, however, as Harry grew, as he got taller, as his shoulders got broader, as he started to look more alpha, he was no longer accepted - he was out of place, and everyone knew it. He tried to surround himself with betas, to ignore the smells all around him.

And ever since what happened, he's not been comfortable around either omegas or alphas anyway. It was like an animalistic urge was set off inside of him. Like his conscience just couldn't let him be around either of them - telling him he wasn't safe. He retreated even more into himself. Since then, he hadn't found anybodies smell even remotely enticing, and his limited hookups were with betas and never an omega.

So what was so special about this Lou? His smell wasn't the usual, cloying sweetness of omegas, but of a lavender field in spring. Of good memories. But why? What was special about him, of all people?

\----><\----

It isn't even a week later that Harry finds himself rushing to the 24 hour vet clinic, the pretty boy not even on his mind as he runs down the road with Mika bundled up inside his coat at 11:48 p.m., his eyes wet with unshed tears. If he ever thought his cat would be stupid enough to drink the white wine he managed to spill, he would never have even had it in the house, he just wanted to bake the kids some cookies for the last day of school tomorrow, but of course, his lanky self managed to knock over his wine glass, and while he rushed to find something to mop up with, Mika had apparently gotten curious and decided to try it for herself. After a thorough google search, Harry determined that any form of alcohol was, in fact, incredibly toxic to cats. And so here he was.

He bursts through the door and to the front desk, the same boy briefly looking irritated at his reappearance before he realises that, this time, Harry does actually have an animal with him "Please. Please. Mika - my cat - she may have accidentally um, ingested some white wine? Apparently its really really toxic to cats and I don't want her to die. Can you please help?" He pleads, gently laying Mika on the desk who has already become slightly lethargic "Please?" He asks, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

The man stands looking puzzled for a moment before he starts nodding, glancing at Mika before turning and pushing a button behind the desk, a different vet walking out from the side door a moment later.

"Lou?" he asks glancing at Harry and then at the cat.

"Zayn. This mans cat, um, Mika, accidentally had some white wine, he wants her to be treated." Louis says, clearing his throat and looking at the vet.

Harry turns his eyes on the man and the vet looks at him as though he's an alien, probably not used to six foot alphas running in at near midnight crying because their cat drank chardonnay. He does, however, gently scoop the cat up and walk her out back, Harry watching him go and giving a gentle sob as she meows pitifully. Harry sighs deeply, briefly calmed by the smell of lavender that he was right about - it was very pretty. He slowly turns and walks to the various chairs in the waiting room, sitting down and resting his head in his hands, sniffling softly.

He's left alone for a few moments before the smell of lavender briefly washes over him, making him look up. He startles slightly as he sees the man - Lou - standing in front of him. He's wearing a beige jumper today, with a few days stubble across his cheeks. He looks pretty. This only makes Harry more miserable.

"I'm sorry. I just love my cat." He says, giving a small self deprecating laugh.

"Did you mean it?" the boy demands, crossing his arms with a small frown, the movement sending his scent wafting towards Harry again.

Harry startles, leaning back in his seat again "did I mean... what?" he asks quietly, briefly glancing at the steely blue of the boys eyes I time to see him roll them impatiently.

"Last week. Did you mean it when you said that I smelt nice?" he asks, frowning at Harry.

"Oh. I was hoping you had forgotten that." Harry mumbles, looking down again "yes. I meant it. S'like lavender. Pretty." he says, a shiver running through him now that the heat from his impromptu run has started to wear off. 

"You think I smell... pretty?" Lou asks incredulously.

"uh... yes? I like lavender, and that's what you smell like. Lavender. And it's pretty." Harry grumbles. He was only trying to compliment the smaller man, he didn't have to be a dick about it. 

"Grandmothers smell like lavender. Do you think I smell like a grandmother?" The man asks, huffing softly.

Harry looks up at the omega in confusion - normally an omega would giggle and blush at such a compliment to their scent. This one - this Lou - apparently was not the kind, "No. I've never met a Grandmother that smells like lavender." Harry says, confused now.

"What?" Louis asks with a frown.

"What?"

"Whatever." Lou huffs and stomps back to the desk, parking himself behind it and sitting on his little chair, his feet not reaching the ground. "According to Dr. Malik, your cat will be a few hours still. You should go home." he says without even looking up.

"No, if it's okay, I'd rather stay here... if that's okay." Harry mumbles, looking down at his hands.

Louis looks up at him in barely contained confusion, and maybe a little irritation, "Did you not hear me? It'll be a few hours. Go and get some sleep or something." He says, looking back down at his paperwork and mumbling "weirdo."

Harry's pout deepens and he wraps his arms around himself "I can hear you." he grumbles "and I want to stay, because I'm worried about my cat." he says matter-of-factly "this place is 24 hours, right? So I'll stay." 

"Right. Well, suit yourself, then." 

An hour passes in near silence as Harry waits for Mika having signed all of the administrative forms early on, tapping his foot on the floor to a beat in his head "That's really annoying." Louis grumbles, briefly looking up from his paperwork "stop it." and so Harry does. Louis frowns and looks over at Harry "did you just... listen to me?" he asks.

"Yes. You asked me to stop." Harry says with a frown.

"Your paperwork says alpha. And you let an omega boss you around?" The shorter man asks, an eyebrow quirked up.

Harry blushes softly, clearing his throat and sitting up straighter "I can just understand how that would have been annoying. I would have wanted someone to listen to me if I asked them to stop."

'You're a weird guy, you know that?" 

"I don't see why, I was only respecting what you wanted. Why is it so unusual for an alpha to do that? How would you like it if I told you to go home to raise pups rather than working, mhmm?" Harry snaps, crossing his arms with a huff.

Louis goes to say something but the words die in his throat "I-Well, that's different." he finally settles on.

"Is it? Why?" Harry says, glaring at the omega "If I want to do what someone tells me to, even an omega, then that's my business. That statement has done nothing but put both me and you down. If I want to listen, or cry about my cat, or think someone smells pretty, or be a fucking teacher then I will!" he says, flushing red by the end and looking down at the ground.

Louis raises his arms in surrender "Woah... okay, okay. Chill." He says and looks back down at the papers in front of him, but if Harry wasn't mistaken, there was a slight flush to his cheeks as well. 

One point to me, he thinks smugly, waiting the last few hours in silence.

He left the vets that evening (morning, although Mika was thankfully fine) having decided that no matter how pretty the omega smelt, he didn't like him. Not even a little bit. Not even at all.

\----><\----

"Who's this for, Ern?" Harry asks softly as he approaches one of his students, Ernest, from behind, placing a gentle hand on his tiny shoulder.

"My brother, Louis!" Ernest says enthusiastically as he holds up the half finished Christmas themed birthday card.

Harry grinned "That's brilliant, Ernest, I'm sure he'll absolutely love it." he says and walks back to his desk.

Things were starting to settle in a bit more at the school now, everyone getting more used to the idea of an alpha working there. It helped that the children loved him so much, as well. Christmas was just round the corner now, and it had been about a month since 'the vet fiasco' as Niall had started to call it. Harry didn't want to see the omega ever again if he could help it. He was just like all of the omegas who worked at Brentwood - stuck in their ways and refusing to budge.

Over the last few days, however, Harry's mind had mostly been taken up by the parents evening that was happening that evening, rather than thinking of pretty blue eyes and lavender fields. A lot of the parents and family members still weren't on board with the idea of an alpha teaching their children, fearing that he may become violent or not be nurturing enough, so he was determined to try and prove every single one of them wrong.

"Alright, class, it's time to start packing up now!" Harry calls to the classroom "You ca finish your cards tomorrow, I promise!" He says with a grin as some little hands go up to protest. He was always happiest when he was teaching. He watched as the children packed up and, one by one, shuffled out of the classroom to go and be collected by their parents. All of them, except one.

"What's wrong, Ernest?" Harry asks softly, gently listing the boy to sit on his desk so he can properly talk to him.

"Um... My brother is coming to the thingy tonight because my mummy is working..." Ernest says quietly, looking at Harry "And I think he's a little nervous... will you be nice to him, Mr. Harry?" 

"Of course I will, Ernest! Are you coming with him?" Harry asks softly - he always did have a soft spot for the kid.

"No, I'm staying at home with Lottie and Dotty." Ernest says quietly "But Louis isn't very happy that you a -a alpha..." Ernest finishes quietly, not looking Harry in the eye and fiddling with the hem of his cable knit jumper.

"Oh. Oh, I see..." Harry says, swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat, "thank you for letting me know... um, do you have a problem with me being an alpha at all?" 

Ernest shakes his head quickly "No! You're the best teacher I ever had, Mr Harry!" He says.

Harry smiles at that "well, alright then. Thanks again for letting me know, love, I promise to be nice to your brother." he says before helping Ernest down from his desk, just as a blond girl arrives at the door.

"Ernest, there you are!" She says and Ernest grins at Harry one last time before running to the door.

"Sorry, Lottie, I was just talking to Mr. Harry!" He explains as he's whisked away.

Harry smiles softly to himself before going to his desk and starting to organise everything, making it presentable for when parents start to arrive. He takes a deep breath and sits down, running a hand through his hair and closing his eyes for a moment. This is exactly what he needs. Some jumped up alpha brother of his favourite student to tell him that he isn't good enough for his little brother.

"Knock knock..." comes a soft voice from the door, and Harry sighs, and looking up.

"Hey, Sarah..."

"Nervous?"

"Always."

"Oh, H, you'll be fine. And you'll win over just as many parents as you have students. There's nothing to worry about - you always come out on top." Sarah says, walking in and gently putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"I hope you're right..." Harry mumbles and looks up at her.

"I absolutely am. When am I not?" Sarah asks with a grin, ruffling Harry's hair and turning to leave.

"Thanks, S!" Harry calls, beginning to organise everything in front of him for when the parents and guardians start to arrive.

An hour later, Harry has seen the first few parents and things are going less than brilliantly. Parents can't seem to understand how an alpha will be able to nurture their children - "I can't even be gentle with them, and they're my children!" one alpha father had bellowed as his omega sat beside him, nodding along dutifully. But it wasn't just the alphas, oh no - "I don't want some caveman alpha close to rut snapping and yelling at my children." One omega father had stated petulantly, his nose straight up in the air as he had looked down at Harry. It didn't help that Harry didn't have t5he confidence to really stand up for himself - he just sort of made himself smaller and weakly tried to change the subject back to the children.

Glancing down at his list, Harry crosses off the parents who just left and looks at who's next. It's Ernest's brother. Harry groans and rubs over his face before standing and going to the door, opening it and peering down the corridor. There are parents milling around outside other doors, talking or waiting in silence, but seemingly none lined up ready for his classroom.

"Ernest Deakin?" Harry calls, looking up and down the corridor. No one turns around and Harry frowns "Ernest Deakin?" he calls again, louder this time. When no one replies again, Harry looks down at his list, about to call the name lined up beneath Ernest's, when someone comes barreling around the corner.

"I'm here! I'm here!" they call, trying to catch their breath as they come to s atop before Harry's classroom. They look up, but Harry didn't even need them to - he knew who it was before the boy had even made it to him. Knew that smell anywhere, it had plagued him enough the last month - lavender. It was him, pretty Lou from the vet clinic who he had embarrassed himself in front of, twice now.

"Ernest Deakin?" Harry asks again, just to be sure. He looks up from his list just in time to see the exact moment that Lou realises who he's standing in front of, watching him silently nod.

"Yes." Lou clears his throat before nodding "I'm Louis." he says, standing up straight as though to make himself look bigger, even though Harry has done the opposite and is slouched over slightly. If anyone was looking, they'd assume that Harry was the omega and Lou was the alpha. Their scents, although not typical, gave away their secondary genders just fine. He feels like an idiot. Even though he had no way of knowing that his cute vet clinic Lou was Ernest's Louis, he feels an idiot.

"Harry." He says with a slight nod by way of introduction. "Alright. If you'd like to follow me." Harry mumbles and turns to walk into his classroom. He stops, however, when he realises that Louis isn't following him. "Are you coming? The meeting will be in my classroom." He says softly, standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"I'd rather the door was kept open, actually. You reek of rut and I'm already not comfortable in your presence." Louis says, his mouth set in a hard line as he refuses to make eye contact with Harry, who flushes a deep scarlet. He hadn't thought that the change in his scent would be that noticeable just yet - he had another week before his rut hit. He was on suppressants anyway, so his ruts were basically just a few days of horniness and nothing much else. He could normally get away with only having to take off a couple of days every three months to wallow in pity at his lack of mate and eat ice cream.

"Alright, of course." Harry mumbles, getting the door stopper and propping the door open, stepping aside to allow Louis to walk past. Harry walks to his desk and sits behind it, motioning to the chair opposite for Louis to sit in. "Um. I like to start my meetings by asking if there is anything that you, as a relative, have to say about how you think the teaching has been so far this year." He says, his voice smaller and more timid than intended. He looks up at Louis then to find him watching him quizzically.

"Well. Yes, actually. I have some concerns about how an alpha will be able to properly look after my little brother. I know you're type, you're angry and you take what you want when you want it." Louis says with an angry frown "You don't have patience and, last time I checked, a room full of six to seven year olds requires quite a great deal of it." He says in a strong voice, sitting up straighter, and fuck. Why is his voice so pretty. Harry is trying not to like him, but his voice is so fucking pretty.

"With all due respect, I happen to have a lot of patience. I absolutely love teaching, and if you look at how the children have been performing so far this y-" Harry starts but is cut off by Louis rolling his eyes and continuing to talk.

"I don't care about how the students are doing, I care about whether my brother is safe." He says, crossing his arms and leaning back, his legs spread. A power move. One that's working, apparently, if the way that Harry's eyes involuntarily travel down the length of Louis' body is anything to go by. His eyes snap back up to Louis', however, when he properly takes in what he's just said, frowning as they make proper eye contact for the first time that evening.

"Of course he's safe! Every child in my classroom is safe when I'm with them!" He says, anger beginning to simmer under the surface "Not all alphas are power-hungry maniacs. Some of us are good." He says angrily, leaning forward across his desk.

"Sure you are." Louis says, rolling his eyes again.

"Why are you generalising us like that?" Harry snaps, glaring at the omega now. He's put up with this sort of thing his entire life, but for some reason the fact that its coming from a pretty omega is really bothering Harry, "What makes you any different from the alphas that insist omegas are good for nothing more than bearing their pups? Or the ones who think that all omegas are overly emotional and cry at everything?" He asks, and if he was paying attention, he would have seen Louis open his mouth to interject, "I am sick of omegas and alphas thinking that they're so much better than me. If you're allowed to speak out against alphas, and to speak your mind and give your opinions like an omega traditionally would not, then why am I not allowed to want to work with children, or to be gentle and calm? Why do you assume that because I'm an alpha I'm going to smash everything up just because I'm a week off my rut? I would never, and I mean never, hurt one of my kids, you hear me? Never." By the end of his speech, Harry is glaring at Louis with his nostrils flared, and the room is filled with the scent of angry alpha.

"I-... I never looked at it like that." Louis says, looking anywhere but at Harry, his mouth still set in a hard line.

Harry hums, about to start again before he realises that the pretty omega agreed with him. he blinks, "Oh. No. You didn't. Thats twice now you've assumed that I'm someone that I'm not. And you called me a weirdo for crying when I thought my cat would die. How annoyed would you have been if I had told you to stop being an overly emotional omega if I saw you crying? Both are stereotypes. Both are harmful." Harry says and slumps back in his seat.

"You... You're kind of like an omega, aren't you?" Louis asks hesitantly. Calling any normal alpha an omega would guarantee you a very angry alpha. Harry, as it happens, preens under the compliment, giving a slight nod.

"Yes, I suppose I am." He says, looking at the boy before him, the anger already dissipating as he sees him beginning to understand.

"Well, I can kind of see why Ernest likes you..." Louis grumbles begrudgingly, fiddling with the hem of his coat and avoiding Harry's eye, "And I suppose it could be worse. I had assumed that you would be teaching him archaic views... I can see now, that you're not." He says on a sigh, as though it pained him to admit that Harry wasn't a rut-crazy madman.

An awkward silence falls then, and Harry takes the time to subtly (not at all) take in Louis' appearance, because he hadn't been able to when he arrived - too shocked that it was actually him. He looked, well, good. Really good, actually. He had on a pink cable knit jumper, not unlike the one that Ernest was wearing that same day, Harry noted with a faint smile. His hair was windswept, kind of bordering on just being messy, but Harry was helplessly endeared. His nose was still pink from the cold, and he wore black skinny jeans that were wildly inappropriate for the snow, but did wonders for his thighs. He didn't realise his nice his thighs were before. Harry couldn't help imagining them wrapped around him as - 

"Are you going to keep staring or ask me on a date, alpha?" Louis asks, his lips quirked in a smirk. Harry's eyes widen and he looks at Louis incredulously.

"what?" he asks and watches as the smaller boys eyes widen almost comically.

"Oh my god, I've completely misread this situation, haven't I?" he asks and goes to stand, his cheeks flushing as he bites his lip.

"No!" Harry says, reaching out to grab the omegas wrist "Yes. Um. Yes, will you go on a date with me?" he asks and stands, still holding the boys wrist. He watches as Louis' face stretches on a grin.

"I suppose so."

\----><\----

"You asked him out?" Niall asks, staring at Harry like he'd grown a second head.

Harry huffs "Is it really that hard to believe?" He asks.

"You haven't dated since... y'know." Niall says, "And him, Haz, really? He was a proper dick to you, how could you possibly think that would go well-"

"He said, yes, Niall."

"-for you?" Niall asks before blinking, "wait, what?" He asks again "He said yes?"

"Why do you have to be so surprised? Why is it hard to believe that someone would find me attractive?" Harry asks petulantly, crossing his arms from where he's sat on the couch, Mika on his lap as Niall stands in front of them, "And we talked more after the meeting - he's actually really funny! And he apologised for calling me weird-"

"He called you weird?!"

"-and he said he understood where I was coming from and he's really sweet and pretty and he smells so good." Harry says with a pout, watching Niall sigh softly.

"Harry, I'm just worried about you. The last time you opened up to someone, they took advantage of that. I don't want you getting hurt again, yeah? Just... Just promise me you'll be careful with this one?" Niall asks quietly, sitting next to Harry, who immediately lays his head in his best friends lap.

"I promise Niall... Now. will you help me find something to wear?"

\----><\----

Harry stands on the steps of his apartment two days later as he waits for Louis. He nervously smooths his hands down his coat and takes a deep breath, looking around and trying to reassure himself that Louis being two minutes late doesn't mean that he's being stood up. He checks his watch again and runs a hand through his hair, looking down the road. At no sign of a car, he sighs and sits down on the step, taking a deep breath and relishing in the way the cold burns his nose - eliminating his senses.

Not even two months ago did Harry consider that he would be going on a date with a pretty boy he had embarrassed himself in front of - twice, now. It had taken Harry a long time to even start talking to people comfortably after what had happened, yet he had been drawn in by Louis' scent, and had somehow ended up getting himself a date with a pretty omega. He smiled softly to himself in pride, his alpha proud of him for somehow getting the other boys attention in an actually positive light. 

He got the impression that Louis was a lot like him - not a very typical omega - and from their limited contact, including a few texts to hash out the details of their date (which is just a nice restaurant on the other side of town) he got the impression that Louis liked to take control a lot more than any other omega would. And Harry was more than willing to give that control over to him. 

As he sat, snow started to slowly drift down around Harry, and he smiled more to himself, looking up at the sky. he pulls his scarf tighter around him and lets the snow slowly fall and land in his hair, relishing in the quiet calm that it provided. His calm moment was disrupted, however, by the arrival of a car. He frowned softly and looked up, checking his watch before he stands with a slight pout, just in time to see Louis step out of his car.

"You're late." Harry says, his voice smaller than he means for it to be. He doesn't mind though as he sees Louis' face soften with sympathy.

"I know, love, I'm sorry." he says and steps forward, "C'm'ere, let's get you out of this cold, yeah? We'll go to the restaurant." he says.

"okay." Harry mumbles and walks down the steps, stepping to Louis who quickly envelops him in a hug, one probably too tight for not having known each other for too long.

"I really am sorry, Lottie was late to come and watch the twins, and mum was working." Louis mumbles and. Oh. His hand is on the back of Harry's head now, pushing him slightly further into his neck - closer to his scenting point. He could probably smell the slight distress coming from Harry from the fear of being neglected and he's trying to calm him down. But that's an alpha instinct.

Still, Harry is more than happy to oblige, pushing his nose against the column of Louis' neck and taking a deep breath, calm immediately flooding his senses as he takes in the lavender sweetness, nodding "It's alright... I like the snow, anyway." he says quietly, careful not to disrupt their moment of calm in the quiet of the snow around them.

Louis is the first to slowly pull away, his hands on Harry's biceps as he smiles softly "Hi." He whispers.

"Hi, Lou." Harry mumbles with a shy smile, a faint blush making its way on to his cheeks as he looks down at Louis. Louis gently lifts his hand to swipe a snow flake off of Harry's cheek, smiling fondly before his face hardens and he steps back, clearing his throat and walking to the car, opening Harry's door for him.

Yep, definitely too familiar for a first date.

"Lets get going, then, shall we?" He asks, Harry nodding and stepping forward. He smiles and gently presses a kiss to the shorter boys cheek, relishing in the way his whole face lights up red as he nods and shuts the door, walking around to his own side and getting in, silently starting the car and driving off. 

Harry leans over and turns the radio on, his face lighting up as the beginning lines of Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime start to play, turning the volume up and turning to watch the Christmas lights as they streak past.

"You like Christmas, then?" Louis asks, breaking the calm quiet.

Harry grins and nods, turning to face Louis now. He had a beautiful profile, "Yeah, I love it. I just love winter, really. Its so nice... the snow is pretty and the smells go away." He says, humming softly along.

"The smells?" Louis asks, a slight frown on his face.

"Mhmm... I get very overwhelmed by all the smells around me... alphas, they smell so bad. And omegas - its just too sweet sometimes. Gets stuck at the back of my throat."

"Well-"

"Not you though... You aren't too sweet, its just right.

"More alpha, you mean." Louis says, briefly glancing over at Harry as he continues to drive.

"What?" Harry asks, whipping his head around from where he had his face pressed up against the window to watch the Christmas lights lining the streets.

"I don't smell as sweet as other omegas because I smell more like an alpha." Louis explains gently, "Ever since I presented I've known I was much more like an alpha than an omega should be. I still get the urge to nurture and to care, but... more like an alpha would care for their omega. It was strange, so when I was seventeen, my mum took me to the doctor. They did some tests and found out my hormone levels are all out of whack. That I have too many alpha hormones - I'm kind of half and half." He says, having pulled into the restaurant parking lot and parked, turning to face Harry in his seat who's watching him with wide eyes, his jaw dropped.

"You mean? That's a thing?" He asks, his head reeling with the new information. He had always wondered. Wondered why he didn't feel the need to fight any alpha who 'posed a threat'. Or why he wasn't as infatuated by the sweet scent of an omega as the few alphas he allowed into his life. Wondered why he craved pups so badly that it bordered on obsessive - craved the way he would raise them. A part of him and his soulmate. Wondered why in bed, he never wanted to get rough, never wanted to pin down his partner, but rather to be routed up himself and pinned down by a smaller body on top of him - bossed around by an omega.

Harry frowns as Louis gives a soft laugh.

"I bloody hope so, otherwise I've been living a lie for the last seven years." He says, leaning and putting a hand on Harry's knee "Are you okay?" He asks, taking in Harry's wide eyes and red cheeks. Louis' own eyes widen, however, as he hears Harry's throat catch and sees his eyes fill with tears "Hey, hey no..." He says and quickly climbs over the seat, clambering into Harry's lap and pulling his face into his neck again, gently playing with Harry's hair as he lets him scent him.

Harry is quiet for several long moments, his gentle tears wetting Louis' skin, "I'm sorry. We've probably missed the reservation... You must think I'm absolutely rubbish." he mumbles, his voice muffled by Louis' skin as he takes another deep breath and lets the lavender smell wash over him again.

"Not at all, my darling." Louis whispers, gently scratching the back of the other boys head "I was emotional when I found out and I had only had to wait a couple years. I can't even imagine how you feel right now." He says, gentler still.

Harry slowly pulls away to wipe at his eyes, sniffling softly "is it really that obvious? That I'm not a normal alpha?" He asks quietly, looking up at Louis through his lashes.

"Oh, my love. You mustn't think of it so negatively. But at least I'm assurance that you can find someone else like you, someone who's a little more alpha to your little more omega." The smaller boy says softly, wiping at Harry's tears.

Harry's face crumples and his bottom lip wobbles "But... I thought you liked me? Can't you be the little more alpha?" He asks, internally cursing himself for the way that he's reacting to all of this.

"Oh, little love. I'll be that if you want me to. But let's not rush, hmm? You have to be prepared for this to not work, yeah? Just because scientifically we're compatible, doesn't mean our personalities will work together." Louis says softly pulls Harry's lavender coloured scarf up with a soft smile, wiping at Harry's cheeks with it "Lavender, hmm? How convenient." He says and presses a kiss to Harry's forehead.

"You treat me like you've known me for years..." Harry says softly, pulling Louis closer by the hips "Are you willing to try? To give us a try?" He asks softly, his heart fluttering as Louis smiles, practically beating out of his chest as Louis nods.

"I wouldn't have let you ask me out if not." Louis says softly and brushes a curl from Harry's forehead. They're quiet for a long time before Louis gently wraps his arms around Harry's neck and leans down, burying his nose at the base of Harry's neck and sighing softly, Harry's alpha preening at the smell content rolling off of Louis in waves.

"Y'Know, when you first came into the clinic, all I could think about properly was the way you smelled. It was heavenly. I had just brought Ferret in, yeah? The cat? I adopted her in the end... anyway, I had just brought her in and then you come barrelling in, all long legs with a Gucci coat, and I couldn't really work out why you smelled so fucking good to me. Like fresh tree sap on a hot day. God, I spent hours trying to work out what that smell was." Louis says, pulling away to look at Harry.

"I bought a lavender diffuser for my classroom." Harry blurts "And living room. And bedroom." He says, blushing with a sheepish grin as Louis gives a surprised laugh.

"serious?"

"deadly."

"Wow. Infatuated, are you, Mr.-" the smaller boy starts before cutting off.

"-Styles." Harry finishes.

"Mr. Styles." Louis whispers softly and hums, shifting slightly as he tries to get comfortable from where he's perched on Harry's lap, "Well, Mr. Styles, what do you say we get out of here? Your place or mine?" He asks and leans forward to gently kiss the side of Harry's neck, trailing kisses down.

Harry blushes but gently pushes on Louis' chest "Lou..." he whispers, trying to move his head away.

"Mhmm..?" The omega replies, gently starting to suck on Harry's neck.

"Lou. Stop, Lou I'm not comfortable." Harry pleads, shaking his head.

Louis pulls away then, frowning softly and cupping Harry's cheeks who is looking anywhere but at the boy in his lap "hey, no. I'm sorry, love, look at me.." he whispers "If you're not ready, you're not ready. I'm sorry, I shouldve asked." He says and sighs, kissing Harry's forehead "I can't seem to do anything right this evening, can I?" he asks.

Harry shakes his head "Lou, no. It's not your fault. No." He says and sighs "You're too sweet, you know that?" 

Louis grins softly and nods "of course." He says and gently pecks Harry's lips before climbing back over the seat "now. we're going to go and get some snacks, then I'm driving us to yours and we're going to go back to yours-" seeing Harry's eyes widen he hums "-and have a completely non-sexual Christmas movie night where we cuddle and I throw popcorn to see if you can catch it in your mouth and we drink hot chocolate and talk and do proper cutesy shit. yeah?" He asks and looks over at Harry. At seeing the curly haired boys nod he nods too, starting the car and smiling "yeah. this is more like it, no smelly restaurants this way." He says and starts driving.

\----><\----

Twenty minutes later finds them strolling into Tesco, Louis' arm linked through Harry's as they walk.

"Lou. Why are we here?" Harry asks, looking around and grabbing a basket. Louis shakes his head and takes the basket, putting it back and going to get a trolley instead.

"Snacks." He says and starts walking, ignoring Harry who watches with a confused quirk of his eyebrow.

"Theres a corner shop five minutes from my flat. You have to have passed it." He says before jogging to catch up with the smaller boy.

"Yeah. But it wouldn't have Christmas onesies, would it?" Louis asks with a grin, making a beeline for the clothing section, navigating his way to the pyjamas.

"Are you serious?" Harry asks with a grin, his eyes lighting up.

"'Course, curly." Louis says and picks up a Rudolph onesie, holding it up to himself and humming "what do you think?" He asks and looks up at Harry.

"No. You're more of a fluffy elf I think." Harry says with a grin, reaching over and grabbing a different onesie, made to look like an elf outfit, complete with a pointed hat with a bell on the end. "And that way we can be matching!" he says and looks at Louis who's grinning.

"Oh no, you'll look far more handsome dressed as Santa." Louis says seriously, Harry barking out a laugh.

"I think I'm choosing to be offended that you think I fit the bill for a fat bloke." he says, rolling his eyes.

The rest of their evening is spent in much the same fashion, with a constant stream of jokes between the two. They sit in their onesies - matching elf ones, in the end. Louis only teases him a bit about the lingering scent of lavender ("Not very christmassy, Curly.") True to his word, Louis does attempt to throw popcorn at Harry, although they quickly discovered that Harry was absolutely terrible at catching it. They drank hot chocolate and watched Elf, and Love, Actually. They ate far too much and maybe even put a little too much brandy in their hot chocolate. Another plus of the evening was that, in Louis' company, Harry had been able to mostly ignore the smells of other alphas and omegas in his building. His mind was at peace when he was Louis, like when he was out in the snow - Louis blocked out all of the smells and let him actually breathe.

Before they really even realised, it was three in the morning and they were both yawning. Louis was lying on Harry's chest as they watched the Netflix original The Knight Before Christmas, "'S a bit of a stupid concept, innit?" Louis mumbles. Harry's ninety nine percent sure that he's getting drooled on. He's one hundred percent sure that he doesn't mind.

"It's funny though. Imagine coming from the, like, 1400s , to now. It would be hilarious!" Harry says giggling softly.

"Hes kinda hot, I guess. That helps." Louis says.

"Hey." Harry protests, pouting softly even though he has no right to be feeling the possession bubbling in his chest that he is.

Louis rolls his eyes "Not as hot as you, alpha." he whispers and pecks Harry's lips again. Because. Yeah. That's another thing they've been doing this evening. Sharing sweet little kisses. Louis' been calling Harry alpha. And, for once, it isn't being directed at the boy with malice or sarcasm, but with endearment and kindness. Harry would be lying if he said he wasn't hopelessly endeared by the smaller boy curled up on his chest.

Half an hour the movie ends, and Harry yawns as Louis sits up "We should head to bed." He says, stretching from his position perched straddling Harry's hips.

"Probably. Did... did you want to stay the night?" Harry asks, watching the way Louis' t-shirt rides up slightly as he lifts his arms, his onesie tied around his hips from where he got too warm. He stops himself from gently thumbing along the thin stretch of skin. Or at least he means to, in reality he would he helpless to stop himself. He's so screwed.

"Yeah, sounds good - I'm not working tomorrow." Louis says and leans down, pressing a kiss to Harry's forehead before standing and grabbing the taller boys hand, pulling him to his feet "you want me to stay on the sofa?"

"No... wanna cuddle." Harry mumbles and gently pulls Louis through to his bedroom, biting his lip as Louis steps in and takes in the cream walls, white bed spread and fairy lights hung around the double bed.

"'S very you, Had..." He says softly before running to the bed and jumping straight on it "You coming or what? I can't cuddle myself, can I?" 

Ten minutes later they're lying on the bed, Louis' head on Harry's chest as the bigger boy gently plays with his hair "The only other person that I met that was like me, an omega, was called Camille..." He says softly, taking in the way that Louis' head tilts to look up at him, listening "She was like you, I suppose, but slightly more alpha... she sort of made me uncomfortable, but it was a few years ago now and I was just so excited to find someone who also didn't fit into the mould. She was pretty, and when she asked me on a date I was all too happy to say yes." He says, sighing "But she took advantage of the fact that it was hard for me to say no - to be sure in my words - and we went back to hers and she- she-" Harry's throat hitches softly and he clears it, desperately trying to blink away the tears he can feel pooling in the corners of his eyes "I didn't want to hurt her, but she wouldn't stop, and I cried and cried and it just - she got off on it. She wouldn't get off, and eventually she got stuck on my knot and I kept crying and crying until it went down." Louis sits up then, a hand pressed to the centre of the alpha's chest as he looks at him with wide eyes.

"Haz..." he whispers softly, gently cupping Harrys cheek, who puts his hand over Louis', but doesn't look at him, not yet.

"And she eventually got off, and I apologised, Lou... I apologised as if I was the one who needed to be saying sorry. For her raping me." Harry gets out, a tear rolling down his cheek as he finally brings his eyes up to meet the other boys "It took me so long. So long to come to terms with the fact that that was what it was. Rape. Sexual assault. And I have no idea why I feel like you should know. But I think that you should - to know that I'm not right, that I'm used and broken-"

"Hey, Harry, no." Louis says sternly, cupping both of the alphas cheeks as he maneuvers the bigger boys face to look at him "That isn't what you are, okay? You are strong. It makes you strong." He says, moving to straddle Harry "And you are not used, don't be so silly, darling. The fact that someone took advantage of you doesn't mean jack shit to me, and it shouldn't to anybody else. You are lovely, and smart, and handsome. Someone took advantage of you and yet you are still standing in front of me. You are opening up, and that takes such immense bravery and I am so proud of you, Harry. You hear me? So proud."

"Why does your opinion mean so much to me, Lou?" Harry asks softly, sitting up slowly with Louis still perched on his lap. Louis is quiet for a moment, humming in thought.

"I'm not sure, Curly, but I know that the feeling is definitely mutual." He finally mumbles, smiling faintly "Even if you were a bit weird at first." he says with a sly grin.

"Hey!" Harry protests, flipping them over with the intention of starting to tickle Louis, but groaning out as their crotches line up perfectly and rub together in the movement "fuck." he glances down at Louis to find him with his eyes squeezed shut and biting his lip. Don't get hard, don't get hard. He thinks to himself. Fuck, too late for that.

Louis slowly opens his eyes and looks up at Harry, the atmosphere charged now as he moves a hand to the back of Harry's head "Haz..." He whispers, clearly waiting for Harry to make a decision. 

Harry looks down at Louis and takes a deep breath. He's beautiful, there's no doubt about it. His hair is messy from the evening, there are bags under his eyes and he's still wearing the stupid onesie. Not even five minutes ago Harry was talking about the most serious thing to have ever happened in his life, and now all he can think of it Louis. How pretty Louis is. How nice Louis smells. Louis has properly been in Harry's life for exactly one evening and yet he wants to give him everything.

Ultimately, it isn't a difficult decision for Harry to make as he leans down and presses his lips to Louis' with an urgency that he hasn't felt run through him for a very long time. Louis is quick to respond, gripping the hair at the back of Harry's head and sighing out against his lips. He wraps his legs around the curly haired boys waist and hums, grazing his teeth against Harry's bottom lip before he opens his mouth to let Louis' tongue slip inside.

Harry keeps one hand on Louis' waist while the other is presses into the bed above his head t steady himself as he hovers over the smaller boy, pulling away for air and taking a deep breath of the charged smell of arousal now flooding the room. For once, the smell isn't overwhelming to Harry, instead, it spurs him on as he hastily moves to unzip the front of Louis' onesie, pulling out his arms and then the shirt over his head before ducking down and beginning to trail kisses along the boys collarbones.

"Haz. Harry, baby." Louis whispers, gently pulling Harry's head back up, but only pulling a moan out of the bigger boy as his hair is pulled on, "babe, listen to me." He says softly and cups Harry's cheeks, both boys slightly out of breath "I need to know if this is what you really want. If-"

"Yes."

"No, but I don't want y-"

"You don't want me?" Harry asks with a pout.

"No, of course I want you!" Louis rushes out, sighing "If you let me finish, I don't want you to think we have to do this. If you aren't comfortable, we can stop now and just cuddle, yeah? I need to know that this is what you want."

Harry studies Louis' face for a moment, seeing the sincerity filling his blue eyes. He's never been more certain of anything, he thinks, as he nods slowly, "This is what I want, Lou..." He whispers and Louis nods. 

Harry yelps softly as Louis flips them now, pushing the covers to the end of the bed before ducking down and kissing the taller boy deeply, blindly fumbling for the zip of his onesie and gently manoeuvring his lanky limbs out of it, running his hands down his bare torso before gently cupping his already hard cock through his briefs, making Harry whimper softly in the back of his throat and buck his hips into the boys small hand.

"Gonna take care of you, baby." Louis whispers softly as he pulls Harry's briefs down, biting his lip as Harry's cock springs up to slap against his stomach. "Fuck, Haz, you're huge." He mumbles and looks up at the bigger boy to find him blushing, flushed down his chest already.

"Please, Lou..." Harry mumbles and pushes his hips up again, not sure what he's asking for, but something. Right now, he'd take anything Louis' was willing to give.

Louis nods and slides down the bed, taking Harry's cock in his hand and gently wrapping his lips around the head, dipping his tongue into the top of his foreskin and listening to the 'yesss' that Harry hisses out above him. 

Louis teases the head for a few moments more before quickly building up a rhythm, bobbing his head and twisting his hand at the base on what he can't fit in his mouth. Harry is a moaning mess above him, trying desperately to not buck up into the omegas mouth.

"Fuck... so good, Lou..." Harry cries, throwing his head back and gripping the omegas hair, trying not to squeeze his thighs around his head. Harry chokes on a gasp, however, as he feels one of Louis' fingers gently start circling his hole, squeezing his eyes shut.

Louis pulls off of Harry's cock with an obscene 'pop' sound, grinning slyly up at the alpha "what was that Haz?" he asks, pressing gently against Harry's hole and watching as it drives the boy crazy "so desperate already, baby..." He mumbles, and Harry groans out, trying to push his hips down onto the smaller boys fingers.

"Please, Lou, please... never had that before..." Harry groans out.

"I'm sorry Haz, I don't quite know what you're asking for... maybe you need to specify." Louis says with a sly grin, lazily stroking Harry as he pets at his hole with two fingers.

"Please... please Lou, want you to finger me." Harry mumbles, squeezing his eyes shut as he flushes even darker. 

"Oh, Haz, you should have just said... You got any lube, baby?" Louis asks as he moves up Harry's body, pressing a kiss to his lips.

Harry nods, hastily getting up to grab his lube from the bedside table, pressing it into Louis' hands and laying back on the bed, spreading his legs but flushing deeply as Louis lets out a laugh "so eager, Curly." He says and leans down to kiss Harry for a moment, petting at his chest gently 'You ever done this before, baby?" He asks as he pulls away and grabs the lube, Harry unable to take his eyes away as he lubes up two fingers.

"No... Tried to do it myself, once, but couldn't do it right... angle was all wrong..." Harry mumbles out, laying back as Louis positions himself in between his legs.

"Might hurt a bit, yeah? Not for long, promise I'll make it good for you..." He whispers, one hand on Harry's hip as he starts pushing the first finger in, watching as Harry's face scrunches up in discomfort. Louis waits for Harry to relax slightly around him before starting to pump the first finger in and out, gently pushing in with two after a moment. He wastes no time in searching for Harry's prostate, pushing down and rubbing with two fingers as soon as he feels the little bundle of nerves.

Harry's eyes fly open and he bucks his hips up "Oh!" he cries, throwing his head back "Fuck, Lou, right there, yes!"

Louis grins softly and pushes a third finger in, Harry whimpering softly above him. Louis keeps pumping his fingers before moving up Harry's body, sure to hit that same spot with every thrust of his fingers. He presses gentle kisses down Harry's neck as the bigger boy moans "That's it baby... If you come now, you're gonna have to come again. Can you do that? Come twice for me?" 

Harry nods quickly "yeah, yeah, Lou... yeah, wanna be good."

Louis grins and gently bites Harry's neck, whispering into his ear "Good, want you to fuck me."

That's apparently all it takes, Harry's coming hard all over himself with one more thrust against his prostate, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he comes so hard he sees stars.

Louis thrusts his fingers through it, moving to grip the base of Harry's cock as he rides out his orgasm "that's it, baby, stay hard for me." he mumbles, Harry whining in the back of his throat as Louis gently pulls his fingers out, pumping Harry to keep him hard.

"fuck, Lou..." Harry whimpers quietly "that was incredible." He says, his hands moving to Louis' hips as the boy straddles him with a grin.

"Good. Want you to eat my out." Louis says, already shuffling up Harry's chest and mixing his slick with Harry's cum.

"Jesus, you're gonna be the death of me." Harry says as Louis grips the headboard above him, shuffling to hover over Harry's face. Harry takes a deep breath and moans "Smell so good baby" he mumbles, already trying to pull Louis' hips down onto his face.

"Patience, Haz, you'll get me when I'm ready." Louis scolds lightly, but slowly lowers his hips onto the alphas face, moaning out as he feels Harry eagerly start to lap against his hole "Jesus..." he mumbles, throwing his head back and tangling a hand in Harry's hair as he starts to slowly roll his hips against the boys tongue.

Harry squeezes Louis' hips with a bruising grip, pushing his tongue past the tight ring of muscle. He moans at the taste, whining softly as his cock throbs but continuing nonetheless, so eager to please Louis.

"Doing so good, alpha... yeah, just like that..." Louis whispers softly, keeping the movement of his hips slow and languid as he takes what he wants from the younger boy, his eyes fluttering shut. He slowly climbs eventually, not sure how long it had been, but long enough for his thighs to be shaking slightly and for both of their cocks to be angry shades of red and leaking precome all over their own bellies.

"Lou?" Harry asks quietly when Louis doesn't speak for a moment "did I do okay..? Ive never... not to a boy..." He says and Louis' heart practically melts at the sincerity in the alphas tone.

"Did so well for me, alpha... so good, made me feel so good... want you to fuck me now, though, yeah?" He asks, gently flipping them over again "god me all nice and ready, didn't you? Want you to fuck me now, nice and hard, yeah?" he asks, wrapping his legs around Harry's waist and delighting in the flush that immediately coats the boys cheeks as he hastily reaches for a condom, quickly ripping it open with his teeth and sliding it down his length, pumping himself a few times before lining up at Louis' entrance.

"Gonna make you feel so good, Lou... so good..." Harry mumbles as he pushes in slowly, watching Louis' face as he does.

Louis eyes roll into the back of his head, gripping Harry's hair and whining high in the back of his throat. Harry leans down and buries his head in Louis' neck, scenting him quickly before he starts up a brutal pace with his hips, Louis crying out with it "Fuck yes, alpha!"

Harry keeps moving his hips, keeping his head buried in Louis' neck as he thrusts into him hard and fast, changing the angle slightly as he searches for the older boys prostate, knowing he's found it as Louis practically screams. Harry comes out the safety of Louis' neck then and startles slightly at the sight of fat tears rolling down Louis' cheeks, his hips immediately slowing.

"No! No, don't stop, fucking me so good!" Louis praises, arching his back and throwing his head back. Harry speeds back up again, ignoring the burning in his own legs, and watches Louis' face. He can feel his own knot forming, but ignores it as he thrusts harshly, too eager to get Louis off to care much about himself.

"Gonna come for me, Lou..? So pretty..." Harry whispers, leaning down to press gentle kisses to the omegas neck, kisses that directly juxtapose the harsh rhythm of his hips "C'mon, omega, wanna see your pretty face as you come for me, yeah..? Gonna knot you, fill you with my pups..." He whispers, and with a choked off sob Louis' coming between their chests as his eyes roll back.

Harry grunts and squeezes his eyes shut as Louis clenches around him, one last hard thrust pushing his knot past Louis' rim as he starts to come, burying his face in the boys neck and mouthing at the boys eventual mating point as he lets his second orgasm wash over him.

It takes ages for Harry's knot to go down, but Louis is perfectly content to just hold the alpha and play with his hair until it does. When Harry is eventually able to pull out, he does so slowly, shuddering at the oversensitivity of it before rolling off the condom, tying it and throwing it in the bin. He climbs back into bed then and pulls Louis close, pressing a kiss to the half asleep boys forehead "we should get cleaned up..." he whispers and smiles as Louis crinkles his nose, his eyes shut.

"In the morning..." The omega whispers, snuggling into the taller boys chest. Harry chuckles softly but waits for the other boys breaths to even out before standing, going to get a cloth and gently wiping both himself and Louis down with it. He shuts the curtains and turns everything in the house off before slowly climbing into bed, smiling as Louis immediately curls around him. He presses a kiss to the boys forehead before also letting sleep drag him under.

\----><\----

They becomes a routine after that. Harry introduces Louis to Niall and they get on really well - Harry's only a little (a lot) jealous. Harry meets Louis two best friends, Liam and Zayn, who also happen to be the two vets from the clinic. They're both also alphas, but Harry gets over that quickly. He see realises he was right - whenever he's with Louis, his brain calms down. 

On the lead up to Christmas, the two spend almost all of their time together, to the point where the thought of spending the holidays without one another seems silly. Harry's family don't live close, and once they hear of Louis, they excuse him from spending the holidays with them on the promise that they meet Louis as soon as possible. And so Harry spends Christmas with the ever growing Tomlinson-Deakin household (Ernest is delighted that he's there, claiming that Harry is the best alpha for his big brother. Harry only cries a little. Louis laughs a lot. Also cries.

All in all, Harry's relatively glad that he ran after Louis into the clinic that late night, especially as he and Louis move the boxes into their new house a year and a half later, their cats circling their feet as they walk over the threshold. Harry looks at Louis and thinks: yeah.

Nothing burns like the cold.

Except maybe Louis.


End file.
